Mid-Season Review: Part 2

Much like the Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses, the bifurcation of the haves and the have-nots are abundantly clear. Two dominant teams, a waffling .500 team that will likely backdoor into the playoffs and two teams that are just not having very good years. It’s the identity of those teams that are surprising. Lets get right to it.

Gang Green (7-1)
Tied for the top record in the league, Gang Green has gotten off to a fantastic start and is almost a known certainty to make the playoffs this year. The team is on a 3 game winning streak and has clearly been helped with newly acquired Randy Moss which was probably the best acquisition in franchise history. The team remains weak in several areas including quarterbacking and running backs but has gotten over the hump mostly with good matchups. In the teams 7 wins this year, the opposing teams have averaged barely 70 pts per contest. In fact, Green only averages just over 90 pts per week and while that is serviceable, we wonder if that is good enough to get over the likes of the storming Fobsters or even any of the higher ranked IDK teams. For now, 7-1 is pretty good.

Fobsters (6-2)
The Skool/Fobsters franchise has been clearly the worst in history. The franchise has never had a winning season and suffered through a record worst 0-13 season last year. With a .364 win percentage since 2001, this has been a franchise that has been unable to turn the corner … until 2007. Led by the incomparable Tom Brady, who was stolen from the Birds with an 8th round (equivalent) pick, and the first ever receiving core to feature two tight ends (Fobsters even have Kellen Winslow on the bench!), the Fobsters are launching themselves into their first playoff visit in many many years. Unorthodox? Yes. Successful? Yes. The team is third highest scoring team in the league behind the Birds and the Monkeys and its hard to argue with their success. This has got to be comeback franchise of the year or of the last 5 years maybe.

Battle Nugget (4-4)
Our resident waffler. The team has suffered from inconsistent scoring which shows in its 80 point scoring average. Outside of the ever consistent McGahee, the Nuggets have suffered from the injury to Andre Johnson, the terrible play of Brees, Steve Smith, Maroney, Julius Jones and Donte Stallworth. While the Nuggets will likely make the playoffs, its inconceivable for us to see them do much in the playoffs unless these players get it together.

Philadelphia Phreaks (2-6)
This proud franchise is suffering through its worst season since the 2-11 2003 season. While Donovan seems to playing better, its clear he has lost a little something as he battles back from injury. McNabb had a great week 3 but that has been surrounded by very mediocre weeks including a 4 point performance in Week 4. Marshawn Lynch looks to be a successful draft pick which will likely turn into a long term keeper selection. Housh has been great but Roy Williams, Thomas Jones and all the other skill players have been very mediocre. The team is only 2 games back but its got a lot of catching up to do even if it is able to make the playoffs.

Fat Jubas (2-6)
Call them the Saints of CTDB. The Jubas were the team in last year’s superbowl with a narrow defeat to the Monkeys. This is a team that has not had a sub .500 season since 2001. What in the Moses is going on? With extremely disappointing performances from their keepers including a now realized oft-injured Frank Gore, a rapidly declining Shaun Alexander, a pogo-stick performer in Colston and the Jekyll and Hyde Lee Evans, the Jubas have had no success at consistent play. Even impressive rookie, Dwayne Bowe, has hit the rookie wall. Probably most importantly, the team is currently starting Brian Griese at QB. We are talking about the lowest scoring team in the league that isn’t scoring 80 points per week. GM Liao has been defiant and imploring his team to get on track … perhaps a gift of the orange box to each of the players will help.